Tool for tightening wire fences



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 L. J. GILMOUR. TOOL FOR TIGHTENING WIRE FENCES.

Patented May 81 @wvmtor: Z J Gilmour;

witnesses:

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

L. J'. GILMOUR.

TOOL FOR TIGHTENING WIRE FENCES.

-N0- 604,746. Patented May 31,1898;

Z. J Gz'Zmour,

Urrrrnn Starts PATENT @rrrcn.

LYLE J. eI MoUn, or LONG GROVE, IOWA.

TQUL FOR TIGHTENENG WiiiE SPEGIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 604:,7d6, dated May 31, 189 8.

A li ati filed March 22, 1898. Serial No. 674,755. (No model.)

.T 0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LYLE J. GILMOUR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Long Grove, in the county of Scott and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tools for Tightening Tire Fences; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has relation to tools for tightening wire fences.

The object of the invention is to provide a tool of this character by means of which the slack wire of a line of fencing may be taken up and held taut until the operator has fastened additional pieces of wire around the post for the purpose of holding the fence-wire permanently taut.

With this object in view the invention consists in certain features of construction and combination of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of the invention in operation. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, and Fig. 3 is a top plan view.

In said drawings, 1 denotes the lever, having one of its ends forked and adaptedto engage the fence-post on the side opposite to the point where the wire is secured by the usual staple. The edges of the fork are preferably beveled or sharpened, so as to bite into the post, and intermediate between the ends of the fork is a piercing-tang 2, whereby the lever is prevented from slipping. Intermediate between the ends the lever is formed with a swell 3, which is provided with a longitudinal slot 4:. 5 and 6 denote, respectively, the short and long dogs, the former having its inner end pivoted in said slot on the bolt 7 and the latter having its inner end pivoted in said slot above the former on the bolt 8. The free ends of these dogs are forked, as shown at D, and are provided with piercing-tangs 10.

11 denotes hooked leve1's,which are pivoted to the sides of the lever, preferably on the bolt '7, and have their under edges provided with notches 12.

In operation when it is desired to take up the slack in a wire fence the forked end of the operating-lever is engaged with the post on the side opposite to the point where the wire is held to the post by the usual staples, and the hook-levers are then forced to straddle the post and engage the wire to be tightened. The operating-lever is now depressed, which will draw the wire inward and take up the slack. hen it is depressed, one of the dogs will ride down along the face of the post, and when the lever is released said dog will be embedded in the post and hold the wire tightened, thus permitting the operator to fasten to the wire a short piece, such as X, so that when the tool is removed the fence-wire will be held taut.

It is evident that if there were but little slack to take up in the wire the lever would not be pressed down so far as if there were a considerable amount of slack to be taken up, and in order to hold the lever in various positions I provide the two dogs of different lengths, so that when the lever is depressed but a small distance the shorter dog will be embedded in the post and being nearer the forked end of the lever will of course be nearly at a dead-center to the line of pull of the fence-wire, and thereby more effectually hold the tool in place than if it were at a greater angle. If, however, there is a considerable amount of slack to be taken up, the lever will be pressed down farther and the longer dog will come into play in the same manner as the shorter dog, the farther the lever is depressed the nearer the approach to a deadcenter of the longer dog.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a fence-tool of the character described, the combination with an operating-lever having a forked end, the edges of which are beveled or sharpened, and a piercing-tang ar ranged intermediate between the ends of the greater length than the other, substantially 1o fork, said lever formed with an enlarged swell as set forth.

intermediate between its ends, and said swell In testimony whereof I have hereunto set being provided with an elongated aperture, my hand in presence of two subscribing withook-levers pivoted to the sides of said lever, nesses.

and dogs having their inner ends pivoted in LYLE J. GILMOUR. said aperture provided at their outer ends Witnesses: with forks having sharpened or beveled edges FRANK BALLUFF, and piereing-tangs, one of said dogs being of R. N. PETERSEN. 

